Saturday, February 23, 2013

Fairness and the undocumented

The Oregon House passed legislation Friday that allows undocumented children, who've lived in Oregon for years, pay in-state tuition at state colleges and universities.

The tuition equity bill passed with all 33 Democrats and five Republicans voting for it.

Sadly, our local yokels from Bend opposed the bill and provided a little fireworks at the proceedings in Salem, according to this report in The Oregonian, when Republican efforts at a competing bill were rejected.

Gene Whisnant, R-Sunriver, and Jason Conger, R-Bend, were highlighted in the Oregonian report with Conger saying, "I consider this a failure."

Apparently, Whisnant and Conger failed to get the memo from the Republican National Committee, which said winning more of the Hispanic vote was a top priority.

By their actions today, these numbskulls proved once again that Republicans don't really care about Hispanics or their votes. They only care about fanning the flames of bigotry.

The state Senate expects to pass the bill next month and we can look forward to Tim Knopp, R-Bend, further embarrassing this area by opposing basic fairness.

If there is one sure path to citizenship, it's getting more people through college at a more affordable rate. For our local representatives, it's okay that Mexicans work in the fields or clean our toilets, but they sure don't want them to excel beyond those economic dead ends.

Obviously, we don't have the brightest people representing us in Salem.

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Bend, Oregon weather

The view from Bend, Oregon

Bend may be the middle of nowhere, but that's how we like it. While the city has pockets of progressives here and there, the town leans right. But the tide is turning. And, as a true left-hander, I welcome the change.